
Community Services Locator
An Online Directory for Finding Community Services for Children and Families
Introduction
Most communities have education, health, mental health, family support, parenting, child care, and other services that can help children and families. However, locating those services or even knowing which services to look for is often difficult. The Community Services Locator is designed to help service providers and families find available national, state, and local resources that can address child and family needs.
Service providers can use the locator with Where to Seek Help: A Bright Futures Referral Tool for Providers (2006) to help build a customized directory of community-based resources. The tool is also available in Spanish. Families can use the locator with the Building Your Care Notebook, a set of forms created by the National Resource Center for Patient/Family-Centered Medical Home to organize and track helpful community-based resources.
Child Care/Early Childhood Education
These tools help to locate child care, early childhood education, and financial assistance for child care.
- Child Care Aware: State by State Resources for Families. Find local resources on child care, health and social services, financial assistance, support for children with special needs, and more. Telephone: (800) 424-2246; (866) 278-9428 (TTY).
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): Accredited Program Search. Telephone: (800) 424-2460.
- Office of Head Start: Head Start Center Locator. Telephone: (866) 763-6481.
Financial assistance for child care
- See Child Care Aware: State by State Resources for Families. Also view Paying for Child Care for general information about the types of financial assistance available. [Also available in Spanish.]
Education/Special Needs
These tools help to locate developmental assessment and learning services for children at various ages who may have special education needs. See the Parenting section for general education resources for families.
- Local
Public School.
Contact your local public school's special services/special
education director if you have
concerns about your child's progress
and would like to have him or her
evaluated. This person can provide
specific contacts for the child
study team, school psychologist,
Child Find and early intervention
programs, special schools, and
other special services available
in your school district. To find your local public school, see Search for Public Schools by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
- Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR): Find Your Parent Center. Contact information for the Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) and Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC) in your state and a national PTI for military families. PTIs and CPRCs offer information about disabilities, early intervention (for babies and toddlers), school services (for school-aged children), therapy, local policies, and much more. PTIs and CPRCs also offer free advocacy and training on a variety of topics such as advocacy in schools and how to partner with professionals to meet your child's needs. CPIR also offers resources on topics ranging from accommodations to transition. [Resources also available in Spanish.]
- Department
of Education: Education Resource
Organizations Directory
(EROD). Organizations that provide
information and assistance on a broad
range of education-related topics.
- Also see the MCH Digital Library professional resource guides Children
and Youth with Special Health Care
Needs, Emotional,
Behavioral, and Mental Health Challenges
in
Children and Adolescents, and Social
and Emotional Development in Children
and Adolescents.
Family Support
These tools help to locate prevention and intervention services for child
maltreatment, community
violence, dating violence, domestic
violence, and sudden
and other unexpected infant death, as well as faith-based
support services, family
support groups, marriage
and family therapists, military family support services, and respite
care for caregivers or families of individuals
with disabilities or other special needs.
Also use the 2-1-1
Information and Referral Search under Financial Support, to identify community-based
family support organizations.
Child maltreatment prevention and intervention services
- Childhelp®: National Child Abuse Hotline. Crisis intervention, information, and referrals to emergency, social
service, and support resources. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7
days a week with professional crisis counselors who, through interpreters,
can provide
assistance in 170 languages. All calls are anonymous and confidential. Telephone: (800) 4-A-CHILD (800) 422-4453.
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): 24-Hour Hotline. A hotline to assist the public in reporting missing and exploited children and in providing information to help locate these children. Telephone: (800) THE-LOST (800) 843-5678.
- National
Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC): Getting Help. CContact information for national and international services for victims of all types of crime. Examples of services include resources for victims of teen dating abuse, parents of murdered children, and crisis and suicide prevention for LGBTQ Youth.
- National Runaway Safeline (NRS). Telephone: (800) RUNAWAY (800) 786-2929 or chat live on the NRS website for
confidential support and referrals to service providers.
- National Safe Place Txt 4 Help. Adolescents in crisis can text SAFE and their current location (street address, city, and state) to 69866. They will receive the address of the nearest safe place site and a phone number for the local youth shelter. If there is no local shelter or safe place, they will be referred to the National Runaway Safeline.
- Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): National Sexual Assault Hotline. Free, confidential counseling 24 hours a day in partnership with rape crisis centers across the country. Telephone: (800) 656-HOPE (800) 656-4673. The hotline also offers an online interface. Or search by state or zip code to find a local crisis center.
- Also see the MCH Digital Library resource brief Child Maltreatment.
Community violence prevention and intervention services
- Center to Prevent Youth Violence (CPYV): SPEAK
UP. Telephone to anonymously report
threats of violence at school or in the community:
(866) SPEAK-UP (773-2587).
- Office
for Victims of Crime: Directory
of Crime Victim Services. Find non-emergency crime victim services.
- Also see the Rape,
Abuse & Incest National Network
(RAINN).
- Contact your local police department.
- Also see the MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Adolescent
Violence Prevention and the resource brief Bullying.
Dating violence prevention and intervention services
- National Dating Abuse Helpline. Support and resource referrals by trained peer advocates 24 hours a day for adolescents and young adults experiencing dating abuse. Telephone: (866) 331-9474; (866) 331-8453 (TDD); chat online; or text loveis to 77054.
- See the Rape,
Abuse & Incest National Network
(RAINN).
- Also see the MCH Digital Library resource brief Dating Violence Among Adolescents.
Domestic violence prevention and intervention services
- National
Domestic Violence Hotline.
Crisis intervention, safety
planning, information about domestic
violence, and referrals
to local services to victims
of domestic violence and those
calling on their behalf. Help is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 170 languages through interpreter services. Telephone:
(800) 799-SAFE (799-7233);
(800) 787-3224 (TDD).
- Office on Violence Against Women: Local Resources. Directory of state domestic violence coalitions, state sexual assault coalitions, and tribal women's coalitions.
- See the Rape,
Abuse & Incest National Network
(RAINN).
- Also see the MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Intimate Partner Violence.
- Contact
your local church, synagogue, temple,
or other
religious institution. For telephone
numbers and addresses, use the 2-1-1
Information and Referral Search under Financial Support, or check the
yellow pages of your telephone book
under
the sections for religious organizations,
churches, and synagogues and temples.
Also check under the section for
social service organizations where
the local
offices for faith-based organizations
that offer family services are listed
(e.g., Catholic Charities, Islamic
Society, Jewish Federation, Salvation
Army).
- Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE): Find a Therapist. In 2019 the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) consolidated with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE).
- Association of Jewish Family and Children's Agencies (AJFCA): Find a Service
Near You.
- Mothers
of Preschoolers (MOPS): Group
Search.
Find a Christian-based support
group for mothers of infants and
young children.
- AARP: GrandFacts.
Grandparents and other relatives who have primary responsibility for
raising their grandchildren can find state fact sheets with information about the
range of local support services, benefits,
and policies
they need to fulfill their caregiving
responsibilities.
- Self-Help Group Sourcebook Online.
Information about national
and international self-help support
groups for chronic illnesses and
disabilities, bereavement, parenting,
caregiver concerns, and other stressful
life situations. Use the sourcebook
to find or start a support group
in your community.
- Boys Town National Hotline.
Crisis, resource,
and referral line staffed by trained
counselors who can respond to questions from
adolescents and parents about
suicide prevention, depression,
school issues,
parenting troubles, runaways, relationship
problems, physical abuse, sexual abuse,
emotional abuse, substance abuse,
and anger, among other topics. Telephone 24 hours a day:
(800) 448-3000; (800) 448-1833
(TDD) (English, Spanish, and 140 other languages).
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: National Foster Care and Adoption Directory Search. Find adoption and foster care resources and support groups.
- Family
Voices in Your State.
Families with a child who has special health care
needs can find the Family Voices network
member in their state for information
about services and community connections.
- National
Black Child Development Institute
Affiliates. Find NBCDI affiliate
chapters that work to improve child welfare services,
advocate for universal early care
and education, build
family
support
services, press for educational
reform, and provide information
on children's health to improve
and protect the
quality of life of African-American children
and families.
- Multiples of America: Find a Club. Parents of multiples can find a local support group.
- Parents Anonymous: National Parent Helpline. Trained advocates provide emotional support for parents and caregivers. Telephone: (855) 4-A-PARENT (427-2736). Go to Find Support for a directory of parenting services in your state and for parenting materials.
- Parent
to Parent USA (P2P-USA): Find P2P Programs.
Families of children with special
health care needs can find emotional support and information. The programs match parents seeking support
with a
trained and experienced veteran
parent who has shared the experience
of disability in the family.
- See the MCH Digital Library list Family
Resource Centers for information about national
organizations that can connect
families to local support networks. Also see
the collection of family resource briefs.
- See the Center
for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) and the National Federation
of Families for Children's Mental
Health.
Marriage and family therapists
Military family support services
- Military
OneSource. Information
and
referral service for military
personnel and their families on issues
such as relationships, stress, grief, parenting, child care, personal finances,
spouse employment and education, emotional
support
during
deployments,
relocation, or the particular concerns of families
of children with special health care needs. Telephone
24 hours
a
day: (800)
342-9647.
- National Resource Directory. Information for wounded service members, veterans, their families, and caregivers about services and resources at the national, state, and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation, and community reintegration.
- Specialized
Training of Military Parents (STOMP).
Free workshops and webinars are designed to provide information and resource’s to military families and individuals with disabilities to help them access and navigate educational and medical services. Telephone:
(800) 5-PARENT (572-7368)
(Voice or TDD).
Respite care for caregivers or families of individuals with disabilities or other special needs
- ARCH
National Respite Network and Resource Center: Respite Locator.
- Also see the section Home
health care and hospice care.
Sudden and other unexpected infant death prevention and intervention services
- Compassionate Friends: Chapter Locator.
Families who have experienced pregnancy loss or the death of a child can find a local support group. Telephone: (877) 969-0010. Online
support.
- First Candle: Bereavement Support. List of grief resources available for those that have been affected by an infant death, whether during pregnancy or after birth. Telephone a grief counselor 24 hours a day:
(800) 221-7437.
- Share
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support, Inc.: Find a Support
Group.
- Also see the MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Infant Mortality and Pregnancy Loss.
Financial Support
These tools help to locate child support enforcement, employment, financial assistance, food, home energy, housing, legal assistance, and other social services.
- 2-1-1
Information and Referral Search.
Find information about local
2-1-1 call centers or other information and
referral-related centers for
community-based
services
such as food, housing, employment, health care, financial assistance, counseling, disaster-related services, and more. Telephone: 211.
- American Bar Association: Find Legal Help. Resources for finding a lawyer, accessing free legal help, and understanding legal information, as well as a frequently asked questions page and a Consumer’s Guide to Legal Help Terms Glossary.
- Benefits.gov.
Eligibility criteria, program
descriptions, and contact information
in English and Spanish about federal
and state government benefit and assistance programs.
An online form helps users identify
benefits for which they may be eligible,
including career development assistance,
child care, child support,
counseling, disability assistance, disaster relief, education, training, home energy
assistance, food,
grants, scholarships, health care,
housing, insurance,
living assistance, loans, loan repayment,
Medicaid, Medicare,
Social Security, tax assistance, veterans,
military personnel, and volunteer opportunities.
- Also see the sections Health
insurance and Financial
assistance for child care.
Health and Wellness
These tools help to locate asthma care; autism spectrum disorder care; diabetes care; gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender services; genetics services; health directories; health insurance; home health care and hospice care; injury prevention; mental health services; nutrition services; oral health/dental care; physical therapy; poison control centers; prescription assistance; primary health care; professional networks; public health; reproductive health services; sleep centers and specialists; speech, language, and hearing services; suicide prevention services; and tobacco, alcohol, and substance use prevention and intervention services.
Recommended Starting Point for Finding Consumer Health Information
National Library of Medicine (NLM): MedlinePlus. Links to information on over 900 conditions, diseases, and wellness topics:
- Prescription and nonprescription drug information
- Medical encyclopedia
- Medical dictionary
- Health news
- Health directories
- Video clips, tutorials, health calculators, and other tools on common conditions, tests, and treatments
- Health information in multiple languages
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI): Find An Allergist / Immunologist.
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Find an AAFA chapter for a variety of services, educational programs, and support. Find an educational support group for parents, pre-adolescents, and adolescents.
- EnviroFlash. Sign up to receive a daily e-mail or text with an air-quality forecast for your city.
- National Allergy Bureau (NAB): Pollen and Mold Levels. Get reports on current pollen and mold levels from counting stations across the country.
- Also see professional resource guide Asthma in Children and Adolescents.
- Autism Society of America (ASA): Autism Source™. Assistive technology, camps, respite services, and more.
- Autism Speaks: Resource Guide. Therapists, schools, advocacy, financial and legal services, and more.
- Autism Spectrum Coalition: Find Local Help and Services. Support groups, camps, schools, recreational activities, and more for individuals, families, and professionals who work or live with Autism, Asperger Syndrome, or PDD.
- Also see professional resource guide Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE): Find a Diabetes Educator.
- American Diabetes Association (ADA).
Center for Information and Community Support. Find health professionals, educational seminars, programs, or events. Telephone: (800) DIABETES (342-2383) in English or Spanish or language interpreter for other languages. E-mail: [email protected] (English) or [email protected] (Spanish).
- Diabetes Education and Camping Association (DECA): Find a Camp Near You.
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Diabetes in Children and Adolescents.
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Services
- Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA): Find a Provider.
- GLBT National Help Center: Local Resources . Categories include health, support, and adolescent services. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender National Hotline: (888) THE-GLNH (843-4564). GLBT National Youth Talkline: (800) 246-PRIDE (246-7743). Email: [email protected]. Email: [email protected].
- Genetic Testing Registry: Laboratory Search
- National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center (NNSGRC): State Map. Contact information for each state's newborn screening program.
- National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC): Find a Genetic Counselor
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Genetics.
-
National Health Information Center. Includes monthly roundups of National Health Observances that promote important health topics.
- Also see MedlinePlus.
- Catalyst Center Family Resources. Contact information in English and Spanish for state organizations and consumer assistance programs that help families understand their health insurance options and help them get health insurance for children and youth with special health care needs.
- Family Voices (FV). Family Voices in Your State and Family to Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs) help you find resources and services to provide and pay for health care for kids and teens with special needs.
- HealthCare.gov: Contact Us. Get answers to your questions about your health coverage options under the ACA. Telephone: (800) 318-2596; (855) 889-4325 (TTY). Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in 150 languages.
Find Local Help. Find organizations in your area with people trained and certified to help you understand your health coverage options and enroll in a plan. - Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Find a Health Center. Find a federally funded health center that provides free or low-cost care.
- Insure Kids Now. Links to each state's child and teen health insurance program website. Available in English and Spanish. Telephone: (877) KIDS NOW (543-7669).
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guides Health Insurance and Access to Care for Children and Adolescents and Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) Services in Medicaid.
Home health care and hospice care
- Hospice Foundation of America: Hospice Directory.
- National Association for Home Care and Hospice: Agency Locator.
- Nurse-Family Partnership Locations. Find an evidence-based nurse home visiting program working to improve the health, well-being, and self-sufficiency of first-time parents with low-incomes and their children.
- Visiting Nurses Association of America (VNAA): Find Provider.
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): Child Car Seat Inspection Station Locator. Certified technicians will inspect your child car seat, in most cases, free of charge, and show you how to correctly install and use it.
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP): Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder.
- American Psychological Association (APA) Practice Organization: Psychologist Locator.
- Mental Health America: Finding Help. Find mental health screening, treatment, and help paying for care.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Find Your Local NAMI. Find education, training, and support programs for families and individuals affected by mental health challenges.
- National Association of Social Workers: Find a Social Worker.
- National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Counselor Find.
- National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): Find Help and Support. Telephone: (800) 931-2237.
- National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health: Affiliates and Partners. Find local chapters that provide resources and advocate for children and adolescents with mental health challenges and their families.
- National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology: Find a Psychologist.
- Postpartum Support International (PSI): Get Help. Find local PSI support coordinators, support groups, telephone support, local events, training, and volunteer opportunities for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and their families.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Mental Health Treatment Services Locator. Find mental health treatment facilities and programs. Telephone: (800) 662-HELP (4357). (English and Spanish).
- Contact the school psychologist or the director of special services/special education in your local public school.
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guides Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Challenges in Children and Adolescents, Social and Emotional Development in Children and Adolescents, Depression During and After Pregnancy, and Health and Wellness for Adolescent Girls and Women with Mental and Behavioral Health Conditions.
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Find a Registered Dietitian.
- Feeding America: Food Bank Locator.
- International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA): Find a Lactation Consultant.
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Farmers Markets Search.
- See Benefits.gov to find nutrition assistance programs.
- See the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guides Nutrition in Children and Adolescents and Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents and the resource briefs Breastfeeding and Nutrition During Preconception and Pregnancy.
- Academy of General Dentistry (AGD): Find an AGD Dentist.
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD): Find a Pediatric Dentist.
- American Academy of Periodontology (AAP): Find a Periodontist.
- American Association of Orthodontists (AAO): Find an AAO Orthodontist.
- American Dental Association (ADA): Find a Dentist.
- Dental Lifeline Network: Our State Programs. Find volunteer dentists who provide oral health services to people with special health care needs and older adults who have no other way to pay for care.
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR): Finding Dental Care. Suggestions for finding low-cost oral health care. Includes contact information for U.S. dental schools and dental hygiene schools that have clinics where students can gain experience while offering low-cost care.
- See Insure Kids Now for information about obtaining oral health care under each state's child and adolescent health insurance program.
- American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC): Poison Help. Telephone for a poisoning emergency: (800) 222-1222.
- Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). Information about a service that helps qualifying individuals without prescription drug coverage get the medicines they need free of charge or at discounted prices. PPA is sponsored by several pharmaceutical research companies. Telephone: (888) 477-2669.
- RxAssist: Patient Assistance Program Center. Information about free or low-cost medicine programs and ways to manage medication costs. Contact information for patient-assistance programs and statewide drug-assistance programs. RxAssist is part of the Center for Primary Care and Prevention at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island.
- Together Rx Access. Information about a savings card for eligible individuals and families to receive a discount on prescription products. The Together Rx Access Card is sponsored by several pharmaceutical companies, and it is accepted at many pharmacies nationwide and in Puerto Rico.
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Medications.
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP): Find a Nurse Practitioner.
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Find a Pediatrician or Pediatric Specialist.
- American Osteopathic Association (AOA): Find a Doctor.
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Find a Health Center. Find a federally funded health center that provides free or low-cost care.
- Indian Health Service (IHS): Find Health Care. Find an IHS, tribal, or urban Indian health program.
- National Alliance for Hispanic Health. Su Familia: The National Hispanic Family Health Helpline. Call for a referral to a health care professional in your community or for information in Spanish and English on a wide range of health topics. Telephone: (866) SU-FAMILIA (783-2645) (English or Spanish).
- Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM): Find a Professional.
- American College of Nurse-Midwives: Find a Midwife.
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Mammography Facilities. Find FDA-certified mammography facilities.
- International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA): Certified Member's Directory. Find ICEA-certified childbirth educators, birth doulas, or postpartum doulas.
- Lamaze International: Find a Lamaze Childbirth Class.
- Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB): Health Assistance Programs for Pregnant Women, Mothers, and Children. Resources for a healthy pregnancy, as well as a hotline number to help pregnant women and mothers with newborns identify free or low-cost services for themselves and their infants. Telephone: (800) 311-BABY (2229); (800) 504-7081 (Spanish).
- National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP): Contact a Local Program. Find free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services for women with low incomes or who are uninsured or underserved.
- National HIV and STD Testing Resources: Find a Testing Site Near You.
- National Perinatal HIV Consultation and Referral Service (Perinatal Hotline). Clinical consultation and advice on the management of HIV in pregnant women, HIV testing in pregnancy, the care of HIV-exposed infants, and a referral to local perinatal HIV specialists. Telephone 24 hours a day: (888) 448-8765.
- Office of Population Affairs: Find a Family Planning Clinic.
- Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS): MotherToBaby. Call the national referral number to be routed to an affiliated service expert who can help with questions about exposures to medications, vitamins, supplements, illicit substances, and other common exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Telephone: (866) 626-6847 (English or Spanish).
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA): Find a Health Center.
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guides Preconception and Pregnancy, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, Depression During and After Pregnancy, and Health and Wellness for Adolescent Girls and Women with Mental and Behavioral Health Conditions, and the resource brief Fertility and Infertility.
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM): Find a Sleep Center.
- Narcolepsy Network: Sleep Centers and Specialists.
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Sleep in Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women.
Speech, language, and hearing services
- American Academy of Audiology: Find an Audiologist.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Find a Professional.
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention—Pediatric Audiology Links to Services (EHDI-PALS): Find Audiology Facilities. Find hearing services for children from birth to age five.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call for help 24 hours a day. Telephone: (800) 273-TALK (8255); (888) 628-9454 (Spanish); 800-799-4889 (TDD).
- Trevor Project: Get Help. Confidential crisis- and suicide-prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Get immediate support, connect to a crisis counselor 24/7, 365 days a year by phone, (866) 488-7386, SMS:678678 or a confidential and secure online messaging service that provides live help with trained volunteers.
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Suicide Prevention.
Tobacco, alcohol, and substance use prevention and intervention services
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): Local Resources That Provide A.A. Meeting Information.
- Smokefree.gov: Talk to an Expert. Speak with a smoking-cessation counselor in English or Spanish. Telephone: (877) 448-QUIT (7848). Find help within your state. Telephone: (800) QUIT-NOW (784-8669); (800) 332-8615 (TDD). Receive information and advice via an online help service. Smoking-cessation services are also available for adolescents and for military personnel and their families.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator. Find treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. territories for substance abuse and/or mental health problems. Call for information and referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Telephone: (800) 662-HELP (4357). (English and Spanish).
- Also see MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Tobacco, Alcohol, and Substance Use During Preconception and Pregnancy and Tobacco, Alcohol, and Substance Use in Children and Adolescents and the professional resource guide Health and Wellness for Adolescent Girls and Women with Mental and Behavioral Health Conditions.
Parenting
These tools help to locate general education and child-development resources for families.
- Contact your local
public school.
Teachers and school administrators
are valuable resources for information
about helping children reach their
potential. To find your local public school, see Search for Public Schools by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
- Find Your Local PTA. Find local parent-teacher associations that work to improve the education, health, and well-being of all children and adolescents in schools and communities. Contact your state
PTA to join a local PTA near you. National PTA also offers resources for parents about helping children and adolescents achieve academically and socially.
- Your local public library is an excellent source for parenting resources. Many local libraries have websites and community bulletin boards with notices about local play groups, parent discussion groups, and seminars on parenting topics. To find your local library, see Search for Public Libraries by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
- See the MedlinePlus resource guide Parenting.
- Also see the MCH Digital Library professional resource guide Social
and Emotional Development in Children
and Adolescents and the set of family resource briefs.
Community Services Locator: An Online Directory for Finding Community
Services for Children and Families, 3rd ed. (May 2012). (Updated: August
2014; March 2022).
Authors: Susan Brune Lorenzo, M.L.S., MCH Digital Library; Rochelle Mayer, Ed.D., National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
Reviewers: Beth Dworetzky, M.S., Catalyst Center; Shree Mohanty, M.A., M.S., R.D., L.D., Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Region V; Olivia K. Pickett, M.A., M.L.S., MCH Digital Library.
Editor: Ruth Barzel, M.A., MCH Digital Library.